Benie Des Dieux could tackle mares' chase as Mullins supports festival switch

Multiple champion trainers Willie Mullins, Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls have given their blessing to the logic behind the axing of the Cheltenham Festival's 2m4f Listed novice handicap chase to make way for a new mares' chase.

Although Mick Channon, who won the sacrificed event with Mister Whitaker in 2018, was among those less pleased to see the race that most recently traded as the Northern Trust Company Novices' Handicap Chase lost, the response to Wednesday's decision was broadly accepting among trainers.

And jumps fans might also be encouraged by the fact Mullins will be giving the new showpiece due consideration for the cream of his female battalion – including Benie Des Dieux.

The Kim Muir, Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Hurdle, National Hunt Chase and Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle were among the other races under threat, but the novice handicap, first run in 2005 and won emphatically by A Plus Tard and Rachael Blackmore in 2019, will make way and now be staged at Sandown on the Saturday before the festival.

A Plus Tard: outstanding winner of the novice handicap chase in 2019Credit: Michael Steele (Getty Images)

The Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase, a Grade 2 run over two and a half miles, is to be run on Gold Cup day with the Grand Annual diverted to Wednesday and the juvenile handicap hurdle rescheduled for the opening day.

"I was reading the reasons for the change and I thought they all added up," Mullins said of the news. "They made the decision because novices were well looked after and I'm delighted to see that it has moved to Sandown three days beforehand, so it's good that it's not lost for someone who wants to target it."

Mullins, who has farmed 14 of the 18 races confined to mares that have been run at the festival since 2008, has long been a staunch advocate of mares' events in jump racing's upper echelons, and he was keen to credit those promoting the cause behind the scenes.

"It's a good initiative, and it shows the work of the Irish and English breeders' associations is finally paying off," he said of the new Grade 2.

"They have enhanced the mares' programme in Ireland and England for nearly ten years now and the mares' programme is growing all the time. It's a huge benefit to the industry.

"It doesn't seem to be a problem on the Flat and I don't see why it should be a problem over jumps – mares should have their own races. It's just National Hunt racing growing up, I would say."

Salsaretta, who went unbeaten in four novice chases last season and heads the sponsor's ante-post market at 6-1, the Kerry National winner Cabaret Queen and Benie Des Dieux – unbeaten in three outings over fences but not seen over the bigger obstacles for more than two and a half years – could all have it on their long-term agenda, Mullins said.

Benie Dex Dieux, seen here chasing Honeysuckle home at Cheltenham in March, could yet tackle the new mares' chase next year.Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"All three would definitely be in the mix," he confirmed. "Going chasing with Benie Des Dieux is always a consideration. Every year, at this stage of the year, fences are an option for her. It's not that we said we're not going over fences – it's just that we went down the hurdle route as the seasons progressed for different reasons. I'll run her in whichever race I'd be hoping that she might go closest in."

Henderson, who won the novice handicap chase in 2013 with Rajdhani Express, said: "The novice handicap is a bizarre race in that there's usually not much more than a 5lb weight range," he said.

"From December to March you have to be very mindful of your mark. If you were under 140 you probably won't get in, if you're much better than that you aren't getting in. Being at Sandown will probably mean there's a wider margin but everyone wants to go to Cheltenham, we all know that. I see the logic because it's a handicap that isn't really a handicap."

He added: "I'm pleased the National Hunt Chase stays, the Fred Winter is a good race and I'm glad it's not the Johnny Henderson. The Kim Muir and Martin Pipe have their place for those riders - it's right the conditional jockeys have those races and it's a good experience for them. They deserve their moment in the sunshine."

Nicholls, for his part, is already eying the new race with Laurina, a former festival winner for Mullins.

"I fully support the introduction of the mares' chase, and the positive impact it will have on the racing industry," he said.

Paul Nicholls: 'There’ll certainly be plenty of good mares in both Britain and Ireland to contest it and I hope to have a good candidate in Laurina. It looks like the obvious race for her.'Credit: Edward Whitaker

"There will certainly be plenty of good mares in both Britain and Ireland to contest it and I hope to have a good candidate in Laurina. It looks like the obvious race for her."

Channon finished third in this year's running of the novice handicap chase when Hold The Note chased home the Kim Bailey-trained Imperial Aura home.

"It's disappointing," he said of the decision. "There are a few worse races to go than that. I thought the juvenile handicap hurdle [Boodles] would have gone as Cheltenham's a chasing venue after all. You're trying to keep everyone happy, why not just have an extra race every day? But I'm sure they've studied it far more than me."

Members can read the following stories on this topic:

'It was a second division race' - has the right festival contest been axed?

Bookmakers confident Friday slot for new mares' chase can boost betting turnover

Ultimate Daily - our daily newsletters from Racing Post's experts, exclusive to the inbox of Ultimate Members' Club subscribers. To receive the newsletter subscribe at racingpost.com/members-club